The invention pertains to methods of packaging paper products, and in particular applications pertains to methods of packaging facial tissue in a dispenser.
A method of packaging paper products, such as facial tissue, which has gained acceptance in the marketplace is to fold a stack of paper product sheets about a central axis and then provide the sheets within a boutique-type box. The box has a perforation extending therethrough to the central region of the folded sheets, and such allows a consumer to withdraw the sheets from the box. The packaging can have an advantage in that the box of folded paper product can have a smaller footprint that would a box of non-folded paper product. Also, in many cases consumers associate a box of folded paper product with a premium line of product, rather than with lower-tier product. Examples of facial tissue products marketed in boutique-type boxes are ALBERTSON""S(trademark) xe2x80x9cWHISPER SOFT IMAGESxe2x80x9d(trademark); HYVEE(trademark) xe2x80x9cSOFT ESSENTIALS TREASURESxe2x80x9d(trademark); and KLEENEX(trademark) xe2x80x9cULTRA SOFT DOUXxe2x80x9d(trademark).
The box having the folded tissue therein is a dispenser. Ideally, the tissue will be dispensed one-at-a-time through the perforation which extends into the box. However, it is frequently found that the first several sheets do not dispense smoothly in a one-at-a-time manner. Instead the sheets bind within the box and either tear as they are being pulled from the box, or come out as a clump of four or five tissues. Since the tissues within a boutique-type dispenser are associated with premium product, there can be heightened consumer dissatisfaction with the poor dispensing of the first few sheets than would occur with packaging not associated with premium product.
The problem of having the first few sheets dispensed poorly from a boutique-type dispenser has existed for years, and to date there has not been a satisfactory solution to the problem. A recent study by Potlatch Corporation has shown that there are times when at least sixty percent of the boutique-type dispensers produced for a line of premium paper product will fail to appropriately dispense the first sheet of product, and there can even be times when eighty percent or more of the packages fail to appropriately dispense the first sheet of tissue product.
FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an exemplary process for providing facial tissue within a boutique-type box. Referring initially to FIG. 1, an arrangement 8 is shown comprising a clip 10 of facial product folded around a ski 14. The clip comprises a plurality of individual tissue sheets 12 (only some of which are labeled). The term xe2x80x9cclipxe2x80x9d is known in the art to refer to a stacked plurality of sheets which have been appropriately sized to be provided within a package.
The ski 14 has an edge 16, and opposing lateral surfaces 18 extending upwardly from the edge. The clip 10 comprises a central region 20 proximate the edge 16 of ski 14. Clip 10 further comprises peripheral regions 22 and 24 on opposing sides of central region 20, with the peripheral regions extending along lateral edges 18 of ski 14 in the shown folded configuration of the clip.
Clip 10 would be folded about ski 14 utilizing an apparatus (not shown) which forces peripheral regions 22 and 24 upwardly relative to central region 20 of the clip.
FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate an apparatus 30 comprising the clip and ski arrangement 8, and further comprising a holder 32 configured to retain a package 34 thereon. Package 34 can correspond to a boutique-type dispenser. In the shown configuration, a perforation (not visible in FIGS. 2-4) would be at a bottom surface 36 of dispenser 34, and ultimately a consumer would remove tissue of clip 10 from dispenser 34 through the perforation. Dispenser 34 has a series of flaps 38, 40 and 42 associated therewith, and such flaps surround an opening (not visible in the views of FIGS. 2 and 3).
The ski 14 of FIGS. 2 and 3 extends along a longitudinal direction 15, and comprises a length 17. In operation, the folded clip 10 is slid along a portion of length 17 of ski 14, and ultimately is slid off from ski 14 and along an axis 44 into the opening within dispenser 34. FIG. 2 shows the clip at a processing stage at which the clip is along the ski, and FIG. 3 shows the clip at a processing stage after it has been slid off from the ski and into the dispenser. The clip 10 of FIG. 3 is shown in phantom view to indicate that the clip is within dispenser 34. It is noted that clip 10 is generally moved from the ski to the dispenser by a conveying mechanism (not shown) such as a block or plurality of fingers configured to engage a surface of the clip and push the clip along the axis 44.
FIG. 3 illustrates that the flaps 38, 40 and 42 (FIG. 2) have been folded over to retain clip 10 within package 34.
In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of packaging paper products in a dispenser. A clip comprising a stacked plurality of paper products is provided. Also, a ski is provided. The ski comprises a first surface extending longitudinally along the first direction, and has a pair of second surfaces extending transversely from the first surface. The clip is folded around the ski. The folded clip has a central region along the first surface of the ski, and has a pair of opposing peripheral regions separated from one another by the central region. The folded clip is slid off from the ski and subsequently the peripheral regions of the folded clip are pressed toward one another to compress the peripheral regions. After the peripheral regions are compressed, the folded clip is transferred into the dispenser. The peripheral regions can be subjected to at least about 1 pound per square inch gauge (psig) of pressure during the pressing.
In further aspects, the invention encompasses methods of packaging facial tissue.